Bulgaria To Build National Football Center Thanks To FIFA Approval Of $1.1M Application

When it comes to money Bulgaria can be a "gloomy place for football with clubs desperate for cash, players often unpaid and sponsors in short supply," according to Alexander Krassimirov of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. But this month the Bulgarians "have had some good news" with FIFA approving the country's $1.1M "Goal" application to build a new training camp for the national team near Sofia. This is the third time the Bulgarian Football Union has won financial support from FIFA. The BFU received $400,000 for the renovation of its HQ, followed up by a further $500,000 used to build a national team training complex in Pravets (70km from Sofia). The new football facility will include "three separate pitches with lighting, one of which will be an artificial surface." There will be a "wellness center and hotel part as well." The complex will be home to all Bulgaria's national teams -- men, women and youth. The administration of the BFU will also be moved to the new site (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 5/14).